Cementing apparatus



April 23,1940. BROWN 2,197,920

CEMENTING APPARATUS I Filed April 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 cc. INVENTOR. BY g/ g ATTORNEY;

Am! 23,1940. BROWN 2,197,920

' CEMENTING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 l 25 29 ccmow/v INVENTOR.

ATTOR/Wifig?- tive release from its anchoring engagement with Fig. 8 is abottom plan view of the element 25 Patented Apr. 23, 1940 I v I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,191,920 CEMENTING APPARATUS Cicero C. Brown, Houston, Tex.

Application April 5, 1938, Serial No. 200,087 Claims. (01. 166-1) This invention relates to a devioefor cementing this invention in place within a well prior to the wells or the like, and particularly to such a device anchoring thereof. which is adapted to close by cement perforations Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing which have previously been made in the side the same tool after it has been anchored within 5 Walls of well casings in search of producing a well casing and sealed with respect thereto so 5 formations. that cement can be pumped downwardly through It is the general object of this invention to prothe tool and forced into the formation. J vide such a device which is capable of being posi- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, but tively set in position or released as and when deshowing the tool after the cementing operation sired by the operator. has been completed, the lower end of the tool 10 In cementing a well it is necessary that the positively closed against flow in either direction, cement be applied to the desired zone of the and the tubing through which the cement has well casing under high pressure so that it may been forced disengaged. from the tool and drawn be forced out into the formation either through upwardly in the well.

openings in the sidewalls of the casing or around Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section lookingdown- 15 the lower end thereof. It is also desirable, howwardly and taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. ever, that any tool devised for so placing the Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross section looking upcement and for forcing the cement outside of the wardly and taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. casing and into the formation shall be capable Fig. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of the of positive setting action to latch it with respect anchoring device fo m a p the Structure 20 to the walls of the well and forma seal with shown inFigs. l to 3, inclusive. the walls of the well to hold the pressure under Hg. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view of a which the cement is placed, and also it is desirable part of the positive closing valve forming a part that such a tool be capable of quick and posiof this tool. I

the well casing so that it may be adjusted or shown in Fig. '7. moved to a new position. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the element with It is, therefore, an object of this invention to which the part shown in Fig. 8 cooperates. provide a tool which can be positively anchored Fig. 10 is'a vertical, cross sectional view of the and which will provide a positive packing between element shown in Fig. 9. so the tool and the walls of the well casing, but Referring now more in-detail to the-drawings, which may likewise at will be released from such the numeral I indicates a casin which s been anchorage and adjusted or moved to a new posilowered into a well throu a for at 2. T is tion inthe well. casing has been perforated at 3 opposite this 5 Another object of this invention is to provide a formation for the purpose of determining. means for positively opening the tool so that whether or not the formation is capable of procement may flow downwardly therethrough, and ducing the liquid desired. for closing the tool so that both upward and- 1 After a test ofthe formation has been made downward flow are positively prevented after the and it is desired to close up the perforations 3,

cement has been placed. there is lowered into the well upon the tubing 4 40 Another object of this invention is'to provide a the tool which will now be described. tool which may be readily detached from the Upon-the lower end of the tubing 4 there is tubing or similar device upon which it is lowered threadedly mounted a special coupling 5' threaded into the well, andthrough which the cement is to the tubing at 6, and threaded at its lower end applied. to receive ,the special fitting Tl.

Another object of this invention is to provide surrounding the special fitting 1 below the such a. tool which may be easily drilled out so that lower end of the coupling member 5 is a member the well may be deepened if that is desired. 8 rotatably mounted. with respect to the special Other objects and advantages of this invention fitting I and resting upon an external. shoulder will become apparent from the following descrip- 9 thereon. The lower end of the coupling 5 and 50 tion wherein one preferred embodiment thereof the upper end of the ring member 8 are formed is set forth by way of example. with complementary ball races adapted to receive In the drawings: ball bearings l0. Below the ring member 8 is a Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical cross section packing ring II and bearing against the lower illustrating a tool constructed in accordance with side of this packing ring is a compressing ring 5 with a downwardlyextending overhanging part l3. Within this recess and behind this part I3 is received the upwardly and outwardly overhanging parts l4 of a plurality of dogs l5 so that 7 these dogs are suspended by the ring l2.

Below the dogs I 5 the fitting I is provided with a series of coarse threads l6 adapted to receive an expanding nut l1, and below the coarse threads it is provided with finer threads l8 adapted to receive a nut I!) having a substantially smooth exterior.

The dogs l5 are adapted to engage the downwardly facing shoulder 28 of the externally threaded member 2|. This member also has an upwardly extending sleeve-like portion 22 adapted to surround the packing ring II and form a seal therewith.

The element 2| is threaded into the upper end of the sleeve 23, this sleeve being internally threaded at 24 from its upper end to a point intermediate its ends for the purpose of receiving the element 2|.

The sleeve 23 is also internally threaded at its lower end as at 25 and threadedly receives the stationary valve element 26 having a disc-like portion 21 with an opening 28 centrally thereof, and openings 28 spaced radially about the central opening. The central opening 28 receives the stem 38 which projects. downwardly from site sides of itscenter-so arranged as to register with the openings 29 in one position of the rotary member 3| The rotatable valve member 3| is held in engagement with the stationary valve member 26 by means of a nut 34 threaded onto the lower end of the stem 38 and having openings 35 therethrough adapted to register with the openings 29 and 32 previously mentioned. This rotatable valve member 3| alsohas an upwardly extending cup-shaped part with an internal flange 36 intermediate its ends below which is inserted a packing ring 31. Thenut l8 fits within the flange 35 and a seal between the nut l8 and the rotatable valve member is formed by the packing ring 31.

Below the stationary valve'member 25 there is threaded into the interior of thesleeve 23 a shoe 38 having a valve seat member 38 mounted therein. This valve seat member provides a seat for an upwardly closing poppet type check valve 40 which has a downwardly extending valve stem 4| slidingly mounted in the support Surrounding the valvestem 4| and cooperating with the valve 48 and support 42 is a combination spring 43 adapted normally to hold the valve in its upper seated position. The shoe 38 is provided at its lower end with openings 44 through which fluid pumped downwardly through the tubing 4 may be permitted to escape, and is provided with blades 45 which are adapted to engage the bottom of a well or the cement within. a well and when so engaged toresist rotation of the shoe and the parts secured thereto.

Threaded into the upper end of the sleeve 23 abovethe element 2| is a pipe section 45 having a collar 41 at its upper end by which it is connected to a swaged fitting 48.. The upper end of the swaged fitting forms an abutment for the lower end of a packer element as will presently the casing l.

be described, and is internally threaded to re-' ceive a packer sleeve.49.

Mounted about the packer sleeve 49 at a position spaced above the upper end of the swaged fitting .48 is a downwardly facing packer abutment 50 held against axial movement onthe sleeve 48 by means of a shear pin 5|. The packer element 52 is interposed between the upper end of the swaged fitting 48 and the lower end of the abutment 50, and its ends are held against the sleeve 48 by means of wire-wrappings 53 or the like.

Adjacent its upper end, the packer sleeve 49 is provided with an external lug 54 adapted to receive an inwardly extending lug 55 on aslip supporting ring 58. Depending from this slip supporting ring at radially spaced points are a plurality of spring arms 51 having slip elements 58 secured to their lower ends and adapted to cooperate with the tapered upper portion of the abutment ring 58. Depending also from the ring 56 are a plurality of gripping springs 59 adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of a casing or the like within which this tool may-be posi-- tioned. The upper end of the sleeve 49 is adapted to receive a nut 58 held in place against accidental disengagementby means of a pin 6|.

Referring now particularly to Figs. '7 and 8 it will be seen that the rotatable valve element is,

provided about its lower outer edge with downwardly extending lugs 82 adapted to engage within the groove 53 which extends part-way around the marginal portion of the stationary valve member 26 shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Within its upperend above the internal flange 36 this rotatable valve member is also, provided with a rib 54 and the nut I1 is provided on its exteriorwith a corresponding rib 65. Just above the upper end of the rotatable valve member a radial pin 55 projects inwardly a sufficient distance to engage the rib 65 when the nut I1 is above its lowermost position.

. 31. The rotatable valve is preferably open and the slips 58 are held in their upper position by the engagement between the lugs 54 and 55 so that the packer 52 cannot be expanded.

f When the device has reached the position where it is desired to perform a cementing operation, the tubing is rotated to the left slightly so as to disengage the lug 54 from the lug 55',

and is then pulled upwardly. Inasmuch as the springs 58 will be in frictional engagement with the interior of thecasing I, the ring 56 and the slips 58 will be heldstationary, and the ring 58 will move upwardly within the slips 58 until the slips 58 are forced upwardly by the wedging action of the ring 58 and into engagement with engagement with the casing I, a force will be exerted upon the ring 58 to prevent further upward movement thereof, and when this force is great enough, the pin 5| will be sheared oil,

the lower end of the packer 52 and will cause As soon as the slips 58 lock into this packer to be expanded to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

With the tool held in' this position, cement is I then pumped downwardly through the tubing 4,

out through the openings 29, 32 and 35 in the rotatable valve, past the check valve 40, and through the openings 44 to the exterior of the tool. Due to the fact that the hole below the tool is closed, and that a seal is formed between the tool and the casing by the packer 52, pres-- sure within the space between the tool and the casing will build up until it is sufiicient to force the cement out through the openings 3 and into the formation. When suflicient cement has been forced into the formation and the tubing has been emptied of cement by pumping into the tubing mud or some other fluid to take the place of the cement, the tubing may be disconnected from the cementing tool as shown in Fig. 3. This is accomplished by the right hand rotation of the tubing, while the shoe is held against rotation by engagement of the blades 45 with the cement below the shoe. When this rotation is first begun, the lug or rib 65 onthe nut l'l will engage the pin 56, thus preventing the rotation of the nut 11 and causing it to move downwardly as the 'tubing is rotated. This downward movement of a stop against the nut is, the lug 65 will engage the lug 64 and force a rotation of the rotatable valve member 3|. This will move the openings 32 and 35 out of register with the openings 29 and prevent further flow in either direction through this valve. During this process the pumps may be operated very slowly and when the rotary valve is closed this fact will be signaled to the operator by the stoppage of the pumps. The tubing now being free, it maybe raised .to the position shown in Fig. 3, and as soon as the nut I9 'disen'gages the packing ring 31 the pumps will start again .because the fluid can then flow out through the lower end of the tubing and up through the interior of the cementing tool.

Meanwhile; the closure of the rotary valve and the acti n of the check valve at the lower end of the t 701' will maintain the pressure upon the cement which has been forced outwardly throughthe lower end of the tool. This pressure also will hold the tool up against the slips 58 and keep the packer 52 in expanded'position. v

, .If it be desired to move this cementing tool to another location after the cement has set slightly so that it will not flow back out of the formation because of the pressure therein, the

- tubing may be again engaged with thetool by the reverse ofthe process just described. The weightof the tubing will then be lowered onto thetool until the tool is forced downwardly a suflicient distance to bring the lug 54 below the lug 55, on the'ring 55. A rotation to the right will then engage the lug 55 with the lug 54, and

the tool may be drawnupwardly by pulling 'upwardly on the tubing. It may then be set in any new position desired, and further cementing operations may take place. The tool may also be removed from the well entirely if so desired.

In many instances it is desirable that the tool remain within the well until the cement has thoroughly set in order to avoid any possibility of releasing thepre'ssure on the liquid cement and permitting it to flow out of the-formation. Under these circumstances it is of course impossibleto thereafter remove the tool from the well except by breaking it up. In the manufacture of the present tool the interior portions of the-tool such as the valve parts and the shoe are made of bronze or some similar material which may easily be drilled out. The outer parts are made of steel for strength because they must ue relatively thin, but the inner parts which may be made thickenough to withstand the pressures involved are made of a soft material so that they can be easily removed. Then, after the cement has been allowed to set with the tool in place in the well, it is possible to drill out the central portions of the tool and extend the well therebelow to such extent as may be desirable. After the central portions of the tool have been drilled out, the outside portion may be cut up and fished out of the hole so that the entire tool may be removed with a minimum amount of trouble.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that a means has been'provided for carrying out all of the objects and advantages sought by this invention, and that by the device set forth there is provided a cementing tool which is simple to operate, which has valves and loo-king device which make it possible forit .to be locked and the valves opened or closed at will, and which may be easily removed from a hole by drilling or other similar methods. 7

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus adapted for use as a cement retainer in a cased oil well including, a hollow body, check valve means adjacent the lower end of said body for preventing upflow thereinto, means for positively closing the lower end of said body low body engageable in one position to maintain the slip means in inactive position and disengage'able to permit the slip means to move into active or casing gripping position, sealing means about said body adapted tr expand to form a seal between said body and the well casing when said bodyis urged in an upward direction against the holding action of said releasable slip means, and suspending means for suspending said body, said suspending means being engageable with said positive closing means to selectively openand close the same, .cooperable means on the hollowbody and suspending means operable to lockthe body and suspending means in non:

rotatable engagement, said suspending means .adapted to be manipulated when in non-rotatable engagement with the hollow body to actuate the body to-selectively engage or release said releasable slip means fromsaid hollow body.

2. Apparatus adapted for use as a cement retainer in a cased oil well including, a hollow body, check valve means adjacent the lower end of said body for preventing upflow thereinto, means for positively closing the lower end of said body against flow in either direction, releasable slip means for engaging the well casing to prevent upward movement of said body within a well,

cooperable elements on the slip means and hollow body engageable in one position to maintain the slip means in inactive position and disengageable to permit the slip means to move into activeor casing gripping position, sealing means about said body adapted to expand to form a seal between said body and the well casing when said body is urged in an upward direction against the holding action of said releasable slip means, and

suspending means for suspending said body, said suspending means being engageable with said positive closing means to selectively open and close the same, cooperable means on the hollow body and suspending means operable to lock the body and suspending means in non-rotatable engagement, said suspending means adapted to be manipulated when in non-rotatable engagement with the hollow body to actuate the body to selectivey engage or release said releasable slip means from said hollow body, said suspending means being hollow and having its lower end in communication with the passageway through the lower end of said body whereby fluid may be pumped therethrough to the space below said body wh"en said positive closing means is in open position.

3. Apparatus adapted for use as a cement retainer in a cased oil well including, a hollow body, check valve means adjacent the lower end of said body-for preventing upfiow thereinto, means for positively closing thelower' end of said body.

. against flow inieither direction, releasable slip means for engaging the well casing to prevent upward movement of said body within a well,

cooperable elements on the slip means and hollow body engageable in one position to maintain the slip means in inactive position and disengageable to permit the slip means to move into active or casing gripping position, sealing means about said body adapted to expand to form a seal between said body and the well casing when said body is urged in an upward direction against the holding action of said releasable slip means, and suspending means for suspending said body, said suspending means being engageable with said positive closing means to selectively open and close the same, cooperable means on the hollow body and suspending means operable to lock the body and suspending means in non-rotatable engagement, said suspending means adapted to be manipulated when in non-rotatable engagement with the hollow body to actuate the body -to selectively engage or release said releasable upward movement of said body within a well,

pending means being engageable with said positive closing means to selectively open and close the same, cooperable means on the hollow body and suspending means operable to lock the body and suspending means in non-rotatable engagement, said suspending means adapted to be manipulated when in non-rotatable engagement with the hollow body to actuate the body to selectively engage or release said releasable slip means from said hollow body, and means for releasably securing said suspending means within said body, said suspending means being hollow and having its lower end in communication with the pasageway through the lower end of, said body whereby fluid may be pumped therethrough to the space below said body when said positive closing means is in open position.

5. Apparatus adapted for use as a cement retainer in a cased oil well including, a hollow body, check valve means adjacent the lower end of said body for preventing upflow thereinto, means for positively closing the lower end of said body against flow in either direction, releasable slip means for engaging the well casing to prevent upward movement of said body within a well, cooperable elements on the slip means and hollow body engageable in one position to maintain the slip means in inactive position and disengageable to permitthe slip means to move into active or casing gripping position, sealing means about said body adapted to expand to form a seal between said body and the well casing'when said body is urged in an upward direction against the holding action of said releasable-slip means, and suspending means for suspending said body, said suspending'means being engageable with said positive closing means to selectively open and close the same, cooperable means on the hollow body and suspending means operable to lock the body and suspending means in nonrotatable engagement, said suspending means adapted to be manipulated when in non-rotatable engagement with the hollow body to actuate the body to selectively engage or release said releasable slip means-from said hollow body, said body being imperforate along its length between said closing means and said means for 'formin a seal.

CICERO C. BROWN. 

